Automatic valve for stock-fountains.



E; B. GRUNENDIKE. AUTOMATIC VALVE FOR STOCK POUNTAINS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.G,1914.

Patented Feb. 2,4915.

EDWARDB RUNIYDIKE IN V EN TOR.

WITNESSES:

QM/mm A TTORNEY IHE mule/(Is PETERS co. PHOTfJ-LITHQ. WASHINGTON, D c.

bruit EDWARD B. GRUNENDIKE, 0F SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO B. F.BOOTH, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC VALVE FOR STOOK-FOUNTAINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedFeb. 2, 1915.

Application filed February 6, 1914. Serial No. 817,085.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EDWARD B. GRUNEN- DIKE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State ofIllinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Valvesfor Stock-Fountains, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in stock-watering fountains andrefers more particularly to automatic control valves therefor.

The object of my invention is to provide for devices of the abovecharacter an improved inlet valve which will be susceptible to directaction thereon by a float, without the use of a complexity ofreciprocating parts therebetween, and which will automatically maintainthe water at any predetermined level in the drinking fountain.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists of thedetails of construction, combination of elements, and arrangements ofparts hereinafter described, illustrated in the annexed drawings, andpointed out specifically in the appended claims.

In the drawings, to which reference will be had, like referencecharacters refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the severalviews.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the valve seat casting. Fig. 2 is avertical sectional view through the valve-seat casting, taken on line 22of Fig. 1, the float, valve spring and valve being shown in elevation,the dotted lines indicating the open position of the valve and float.Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the float. Fig. 4 is a longitudinalsection view through the supply tank and water-fountain provided withthe valve of my invention. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the valve andstem.

Referring now to the drawings, I provide a water source 12 connected bya pipe line 20 to a stoclnwatering fountain 18. On the wall of thefountain 18 I provide an inlet valve casting 1 adapted to be securedover the inlet opening from the pipe line 20 by means of bolts, or othersuitable means, through slots 21. On the rear side of casting 1, acylindrical valve chamber 2 is provided, communicating with the inletopening to the fountain, a recess 3 being formed in the inner wall ofchamber 2, which recess is adapted to receive a valve seat ring 1,preferably formed of rubber, or a like material.

Numeral 5 designates the inlet through the valve seat casting.

In chamber 2, I provide a cone-shaped valve 6 adapted to normally seatagainst the valve-seat ring 1, the apex of the cone extending toward theinterior of the fountain, a valve stem 7, preferably comprising twospring metal strips, projecting therefrom through, passage passage Inorder to provide means for the normal seating of valve 6 against seat4-, I employ a spring loop 11, having its end portions 8 coiled aboutpin 9 carried between lugs 10 on the rear face of casting 1, the centralloop extending upward and about valve stem 7, while the ends of thespring are seated against the inner face of casting 1. A washer 1 f,preferably bent on the lower edge to allow freedom of movement of the*alve stem in the open position, is fitted about valve stem 7 overspring 11, and a cotter 13 passed through the valve stem to secure thesame in place.

I prefer to maintain a constant water level in the watering fountain ata height slightly above the inlet opening from the pipe line. Itherefore provide a float 15 which is formed of wood, or suitablebuoyant material, and which is hinged to casting 1, and adapted tonormally occupy an approximately horizontal position on the sur' face ofthe water in fountain 1.8. Float 15 is'hinged to casting l by means oftwo L- shaped threaded rods 16 screwed into the end of the float, slots17 being formed in casting 1 for the reception of these rods. It will beseen that the rightangle extensions on rods 16 may be readily enteredinto slots 17 by turning the extensions to an upright position in thefloat, and then elevating the float to a vertical position. After thefloat is in place, the angle-extensions may be turned in a horizontalposition, thus anchoring the float to the casting 1. A metal strip 19 isfixed on the end of the float and extended down below the lower surfacethereof a suflicient distance to just engage the projecting end of valvestem 7, when the float is in its normal horizontal position.

By reference to the dotted line position of float 15 in Fig. 2, it willbe seen that when the drinking fountain is empty the metal strip 19 willcontact with the end of valve stem 7 and force valve 6 away from seat 4,against the opposite pressure of spring 11. The bent washer 14 willallow the pressure of float 15 to force the end of valve stem 7 slightlydownward during this operation, and the valve will be directed outwardand upward from its seat. This position of the valve will allow thewater to flow from source 12 into fountain 18, the valve being raised toallow the free passage of the water. l/Vhen the water level in fountain18 has risen to the position in which float 15 is substantiallyhorizontal, the pressure against the end of valve stem 7 will berelieved and spring 11 will draw valve 6 against seat 4, shutting offthe supply of water. As the water is used from the fountain and thewater level therein lowered, metal strip 19 will again directly actuatethe valve open and water will be admitted.

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that my invention provides animproved inlet valve which is susceptible to direct action thereon by afloat, and which will automatically maintain a predetermined water levelin a stock-watering fountain.

WVhile I have herein described and illustrated the preferred embodimentof my invention, I. do not wish to be limited strictly to theconstruction shown, except for such limitations as the claims mayimport, as it is obvious that the details of construction andarrangement of the several elements may be varied in many ways. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an automaticcontrol valve for stockfountains, the combination of means for normallyseating a valve against its seat comprising a spring having coils on itsend portions and a central loop extending upward and engaging the valvestem to yieldingly hold the valve stem inwardly of the fountain, saidcoils surrounding a pin anchored between parallel lugs on the interiorwall of the stock-fountain, and the ends of the spring being extendedupward rearwardly of the central loop and engaged against the wall ofthe fountain, substantially as described.

2. In a water inlet control device for stock-fountains, the combinationof a valve seat casting fixed to the wall of the stock fountain, a valvechamber communicating with the water inlet passage to the fountain, avalve seat ring in the inner wall of the valve chamber, a water inletpassage in said valve seat casting leading from the valve chamber to theinterior of the stock-fountain, a cone-shaped valve positioned in thevalve chamber with the apex of the valve cone extending inward into thewater inlet passage, a valve stem comprising two spring members fixed tothe valve and extending through the water inlet passage into theinterior of the fountain, a spring mounted to the valve seat castingwithin said trough and engaging the valve stem to normally seat thevalve against the valve seat, a bent washer and cotter carried by thevalve stem over the spring, a float hinged to the valve seat casting andadapted to normally lie upon the surface of the water in the fountain ina substantially horizontal position, and a valve opening projection onthe end of said float positioned to engage the end of the valve stem andto actuate the valve outward and upward out of its seated relation withthe valve seat upon the lowering of the water level in the fountain,substantially as described.

- EDW. B. GRUNENDIKE. Witnesses:

LEO. MATTHEWS, SARAH SCHWARTZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

